


IV. (it was a lost cause, fast fight)

by cassandralied



Series: Jaytemis Week [2]
Category: Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fight Flirting, Jaytemis Week 2020, you know how it is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25601017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassandralied/pseuds/cassandralied
Summary: for Jaytemis Week Day 4: Criminal AU...Jason hasn’t trained with Bruce to not know a fucking Amazon when he sees one.
Relationships: Artemis of Bana-Mighdall/Jason Todd
Series: Jaytemis Week [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850824
Comments: 3
Kudos: 35





	IV. (it was a lost cause, fast fight)

  
Unlike the man running, panicked, down the corridor ahead of him, Jason’s in no rush. It’s his fault, really. Jason had generously extended a partnership to Maroni, and it was the other man’s pride that had done him in. Claimed he wouldn’t work with an upstart hood, and if he wanted to keep child trafficking and selling drugs on the playgrounds, that was his business.  
Jason had politely disagreed.

He hopes Maroni doesn’t have some kind of panic room that might actually be work to hack into. Thinks about whistling as he reloads his guns, strolls down the corridor. Decides it’s too creepy supervillain-y.   
“Maroni?” his voice comes out a little distorted through the helmet as he rounds the corner. “Are you hiding behind more bodyguards? Because you know I’m just going to —” _kill them_ , he means to say, except approximately then Jason is slammed into something with the force of a tank and punted into a wall.

By the time he’s blinking his eyes open, he can see Maroni cowering in the back of the room.  
But more of his focus is on his attacker, a woman who has to be at least seven feet tall dressed in an average black pantsuit, which is maybe the only average thing about her. There’s a faded scar below her eye, and her ridiculously long burnt-orange hair is in a high braid, and Jason hasn’t trained with Bruce to not know a fucking Amazon when he sees one.  
“Hi,” he pants, managing to get back on his feet. “Isn’t it a little far from Themyscira?”

The Amazon pays no mind to his fairly clever quip, instead snapping, “Stay there,” at Maroni.  
“How did he even afford to pay for you?” Jason asks, twirling his guns in his hand, trying to buy time. “I mean, even if you aren’t Wonder Woman herself, you guys can’t be cheap to hire.”

She sneers, as if he’s not even worth her time, and then runs forward as if to slam into him again. Jason manages to dodge, but only barely, and though his bullets may be _killing_ her Ralph Lauren, it doesn’t seem to be doing much to dissuade her from taking off a stiletto-heeled shoe and punting it at him with the accuracy of a trained quarterback, the force knocking Jason backwards, would have knocked his helmet off if he wasn’t so paranoid about securing all its latches.

She moves like a lioness, all sleek, trained grace, and just as brutal. She lunges again, two sai blades flashing in her hands, and Jason dodges (again, barely.)

“What are you waiting for, Artemis?” demands Maroni, still sweating profusely. “Fucking kill him!”  
That might have distracted a lesser fighter enough for Jason to put her down, but _Artemis_ manages to kick his legs out from behind him, pin him to the ground with enough strength that he can’t break her grip, one incredibly muscled knee between his legs, and he doesn’t know how the fuck he’s going to think his way out of this one, except

“Artemis, is it?”  
Her face doesn’t change from that steely seriousness. “Yes.”  
“Red Hood. Nice to meet you.”  
She raises an eyebrow, almost looking amused. "You’re aware I’m about to kill you.”  
“About that. What if I had a job offer for you?”

“Artemis!” Maroni is yelling, but she ignores him, looking interested, but the sort of interested as a jungle cat that’s spotted prey, which Jason isn’t sure is a good sign.

“I’m listening.”  
 _Okay, brain boy. Time for the big pitch._  
“I’m taking over all of Gotham’s criminal underworld. Consolidating it, you might say, with a few new rules. No selling to kids. No dirty pimps. No sex trafficking. Give Gotham the fucking control she deserves.”

Maybe — _just maybe_ — a bit of that cold exterior chipped for just a second at the mention of sex trafficking. Jason presses harder, the usual selling points.  
“You’ll have whatever you want. Money, power, influence. Clothes that are a little more…practical.”

She kind of smirks at that. “The heels weren’t my idea.”  
“No? You’re pretty deadly with them.”

“You should see me without them. My boss,” and she says it like a dirty word, “wanted me to keep up appearances. So his boys had something to ogle.”

“Okay, ew. You deserve a little better than that. I mean, you’re an incredible fighter.”

She looks surprised. Maybe she’s never been complimented before. “Thanks?”  
“I’ll offer you a huge share of the profits. Thirty-seventy.”  
She tilts her head. There’s a stray auburn hair by the side of her face, and if Jason could brush it away and was suicidal, he might have. “Sixty-forty. I’ll take the sixty.”

“Funny.”  
“You’re clearly not in it for the money,” Artemis says, like she’s been reading him while he’s been reading her. “This is personal for you. That means you don’t just want to get rich. Also.” And she presses her elbow into his windpipe, which is a _pretty_ effective argument.

“Done,” Jason says, with the little bit of air he’s been allowed. Artemis lets him struggle to breathe for another few seconds and then lets up, a tiny smile on her face.

She stands, helps him to his feet. “Pleasure doing business with you.”  
“Likewise.”

They turn to face Maroni, and he doesn’t even have time to scream.

**Author's Note:**

> posting things in order? who's she?


End file.
